The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Duelyr.
Duelyr is a product of planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new Geranium cultivars with purple-red colored flowers, robust dark foliage with slight zonation.
Duelyr was originated from a hybridization made in a controlled breeding program in Rheinberg, FRG, in 1983-1984. The female parent was an unnamed seedling. The male parent of Duelyr was an unnamed seedling.
Duelyr was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Guenter Duemmen in 1985 in a controlled environment in Rheinberg.
The first act of asexual reproduction of Duelyr was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in July, 1985 in a controlled environment in Rheinberg by a technician working under formulations established and supervised by Guenter Duemmen. Horticultural examination of selected units initiated in October, 1985 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Duelyr are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
Duelyr has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Rheinberg under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of Duelyr which in combination distinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Purplered color;
2. Many inflorescences and double flowers;
3. Slight zonation;
4. Compact growth;
5. Very early begin of flowering.
Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor(s), the most similar in comparison to Duelyr is Disco. Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certain characteristics of Duelyr to those same characteristics of Disco. In comparison to Disco, Duelyr has slight zonation of foliage, reddish pedicel and a different color of the lower side of the upper petals.